Jamaican Stars at Jamrock Reggaefest 2009 in New York State

Musical legends Frankie Paul and John Holt join Beres Hammond on stage at the 12th Annual Jamrock Reggae Fest. The festival will feature Frankie "Dancehall" Paul, the father of Rock Steady, John Holt along with the originator of Lover’s Rock, Beres Hammond, all on one stage. Newly added acts are Culture featuring Kenyatta Hill and Lenya Wilks along with Natural Blacks. This classic lineup is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser with performances at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York, on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Kenyatta Hill is the son of the late Joseph Hill, front man of Culture, the legendary vocal trio whose 1977 record "Two Sevens Clash" helped define the roots reggae genre. In August 2006, while on tour in Berlin, Germany, Joseph Hill suddenly fell ill and passed away. Kenyatta has since carried the torch successfully performing as the front man for Culture and paying tribute to his father with every performance.

Natural Blacks, the Guyanese-born roots singer has made a persistent stance in reggae with songs like "Far from Reality" and "Never Leave You Lonely." His style and personality has made him a favorite among some of the top record producers and fans in Jamaica, and throughout the Caribbean.

Frankie Paul is often referred to as Jamaica’s Stevie Wonder, and not just because of his visual impairment; like Wonder, he was a talented multi-instrumentalist with a tremendous vocal range. He was also extraordinarily prolific; part of the first wave of dancehall artists, he started his recording career in earnest during the early ’80s, and has since flooded the market with product, releasing countless singles and well over 30 albums. Fans can look forward to hits like "Tidal Wave," "Sara" and "Slow Down."

John Holt has delivered timeless reggae classics like "Police in Helicopter," "Stick by Me," and "Ali Baba." The former lead singer of the Paragons still stands head and shoulders above the rest as one of Jamaica’s sweetest singers and enduring songwriters. He has voiced and penned so many of the country’s classics that in a way, Holt has defined the island’s sound.

Known to many as the "Otis Redding of Reggae," Beres Hammond has been writing, producing and pouring out his smoky-sweet voice over soulful reggae riddims for over three decades. From his early days as the lead singer of the ’70s funk-reggae infused band Zap Pow, Beres has consistently produced hits and number one singles. As the cornerstone to Lover’s Rock, he has inspired the next generation of reggae soul singers and international superstars like Wyclef Jean and Alicia Keys. Fans can look forward to hearing timeless classics like "Tempted to Touch," and "Rock Away," as well as material from his latest album, A Moment in Time.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, Reggaefest.com and at various Tri-State area ticket locations. Log on to www.reggaefest.com for more information and location details.